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Lesson Plan
Search For Activities
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- January 2004 Activities -
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Adults can look for opportunities to use
creative problem solving with children. This month we will share two
activities that encourage children to come up with different ways to solve a
problem. Problem solving is a task to be learned and these activities put
the fun into the task.
#1
This idea will
have a child looking for different ways to make 25 cents using a variety of
coins.
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Allow a child to sort
through a change jar and find 110 pennies, 22 nickels, 8 dimes and 1
quarter.
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These coins can be
combined in 13 different ways to make 25 cents. An older child may
want to solve this task without any help.
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A young child can be
encouraged to find a way using only 1 coin (quarter)
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Next, encourage a child
to find a way using the most coins (25 pennies)
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Now allow a child to
come up with the other 11 ways and place in 13 separate piles.
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If this is too
hard, help a child solve by giving clues:
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Can you
find 3 coins to make 25 cents? |
2 dimes
and 1 nickel |
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Can you
find 4 coins to make 25 cents? |
1 dime
and 3 nickels |
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Can you
find 5 coins to make 25 cents? |
5
nickels |
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Can you
find 7 coins to make 25 cents? |
2 dimes
and 5 pennies |
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Can you
find 8 coins to make 25 cents? |
1 dime,
2 nickels, and 5 pennies |
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Can you
find 9 coins to make 25 cents? |
4
nickels and 5 pennies |
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Can you
find 12 coins to make 25 cents? |
1 dime,
1 nickel, and 10 pennies |
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Can you
find 13 coins to make 25 cents? |
3
nickels and 10 pennies |
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Can you
find 16 coins to make 25 cents? |
1 dime
and 15 pennies |
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Can you
find 17 coins to make 25 cents? |
2
nickels and 15 pennies |
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Can you
find 21 coins to make 25 cents? |
1 nickel
and 20 pennies |
#2 A deck of cards is a handy tool for many learning games. Try to
always keep a deck close by in the car, purse, or backpack when unexpected
delays can turn into fun learning time.
From a deck you will use only the cards ace
through 6 for a total of 24 cards. 1 to 3 players can participate in the
game.
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The goal is to total the numerals to get as close to 100 as possible
without going over.
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Each player draws 8 cards and can determine whether the cards will be used
in the tens place or the ones place. For example, the 8 cards drawn were:
one ace (used for #1); two #2s; two #3s; one #4; and two #5.
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#2 (tens) and #5 (ones) to make 25
#4(tens) and #5 (ones) to make 45
#2 (tens) and #3(ones) to make 23
#3 (ones) to make 3
ace (ones) to make 1 |
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Total 25, 45, 23, 3, and 1 and you get 97.
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That number is close to 100 without going over.
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#1(tens) and #5(ones) to make 15
#3(tens) and #3(ones) to make 33
#2(tens) and #4(ones) to make 24
#5(ones) to make 5
#2(ones) to make 2 |
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Total 15, 33, 23, 5 and 2 and you get 79.
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The child using the same cards to make 97 would be the better problem
solver since that is closer to our goal of reaching 100.
This is a unique and easy activity that helps to reinforce
place value and addition skills.
Let me
know by e-mail what your favorite activity was this month. I am compiling information for a resource book
and want your input. Thanks.
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